Sometimes you need to have gone astray first in order to lead others down the right path. Binghamton University men's basketball star Jordan Reed has strayed a couple times — now we'll find out if he's fit to lead.

Reed's sophomore season included a second-team All-America East Conference selection, back-to-back 30-point games, and continued revisions to the Binghamton record book (he already ranks third in both scoring and rebounding in the program's Division I history).

Last season also included the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Reed being benched for the second half of a game against Stony Brook, being left on campus when the team traveled to play at the University at Albany, and earning a technical foul after throwing a basketball at University of Maryland, Baltimore County center Brett Roseboro.

After a Jekyll-and-Hyde rollercoaster start to his Binghamton career that includes being suspended for the first two regular seasons games of his freshman season, Reed hopes to serve as the steadying force for a winning Bearcats squad this coming season as a junior.

"I've been through it all, and I feel like that is definitely beneficial because I can tell somebody what not to do and what to do," Reed said. "Because there's not a corner that I haven't seen. That's going to be my job this upcoming season, leave it all out there and lead my guys the best way I can."

Reed, a Philadelphia area product, is the elder statesman in terms of playing time after being thrust into a major role as a freshmen.

The Bearcats, who are coming off of a seven-win season, will rely heavily on underclassmen next season with four sophomores and six incoming freshmen. Reed, who averaged 15.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season, will undoubtedly have his teammates' collective attention each day.

"It's natural because they look up to him because he has experienced success at the Division 1 level. He's a (second) team all-league player and he's putting up big numbers, and players respect that," Binghamton coach Tommy Dempsey said. "I think he naturally is going to be a leader because guys come in here and they watch him. The thing I'm always trying to get him to understand is, 'Guys that come in here watch you.' "

Reed has been an all-conference honoree twice and led the conference in rebounding during both seasons. He is only the second America East Conference player in 35 years to score 900 points and grab 500 rebounds in his first two seasons.

His prominence in the program and the conference makes it imperative that Reed set the tone for the rest of the squad, even if that means sacrificing statistics. His attitude will trickle down to the entire roster.

Dempsey expresses confidence that he and Reed have moved beyond last season's clash which landed Reed in the coach's doghouse.

"I think Jordan is just ready to win, I really do," Dempsey said. "I think he was frustrated and the losses mounted. He was frustrated. I got frustrated with him. That's stuff that you work through. We're very tight and I think that a lot of times the closer you are the more you butt heads at times. ... He knows that his coach is going to hold him responsible. I think that's an important part of your maturity as a player.

"I think it's important for everybody else in the program to understand that these are what coach Dempsey's expectations are, you know, get on board with it or this is not the right place for you. If you can send that message to the marquee player in your program then everybody else understands what the expectations of them are. I think more than anything, Jordan is just ready to win."

It's hardly unprecedented for a talented player to earn a "problem child" label only to grow into a leader. University of Florida point guard Scottie Wilbeken found himself suspended twice in a seven-month span before winning the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and leading his team to the national championship game. NBA stars Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce each famously feuded with a coach before going on to guide teams to postseason success under the same coach.

Reed's leadership philosophy will boil down to two basic pillars: pay attention and play hard.

"All I can ask out of them as a leader is play every possession like it's their last," Reed said. "Obviously, listen to me and the coaches and just leave it out there. All I do is ask the best out of everybody. That's all a person can do is their best. I feel like out best, and I feel like our best is good enough."

The Bearcats certainly need Reed's best.

Lynn Worthy is a writer with the Press & Sun-Bulletin. He can be reached at lworthy@gannett.com.

SOPHOMORE SLUMP?

Highlights from Jordan Reed's sophomore campaign

• Led America East Conference in rebounding (8.9 per game) for second straight season; Only guard to ever win back-to-back rebound titles in conference history.

• Ranked third in conference in scoring (15.4 points per game) to finish the season as one of just eight players in NCAA Division I to rank among top three in his conference in both scoring and rebounding.

• Voted by conference coaches to the All-America East Conference second team.

• Set the Binghamton University Division I era record for points in a game with 33 against the University of Hartford on Feb. 27.

• Became first conference player since Vermont's Taylor Coppenrath in 2005 to post back-to-back 30-point performances.